Vehicle-signal



F. L. ELDER.

VEHICLE SIGNAL- APPLICATION FILED APR. 10. I920.

1,366,724. Patented Jan. 25, 1921..

FLZZder IREDRICK L. ELDER, 01 DAYTON, WASHINGTON.

VEHICLE-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

Application filed April 10, 1920. Serial No. 372,843.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, l nnnmcn la. Emma, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Columbia and State of Washington, have invented certain. new and useful improvements in Vehicle- Signals, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had to the itCiOlll panying drawings.

This invention relates to vehicle signals and particularly to a signal for use on automobiles to indicate the direction of travel of the automobile, and has for its object to pro vide a device of this character, which is simple and compact in form and capable oi? being readily atta: lied to any vehicle.

Another object is to provide a signaldevice of this character which can be readily operated without requiring the operator or the vehicle to move his handslrom the vicinity of the steering column.

Anotheobject is to provide a device of this character including a wedge-shaped signal casing, which can be positioned, when traveling, to relieve resistance caused by wind pressure.

Another object is to provide a signal de vice of this character which can be oscillated or rotated and positioned at any angle desired.

A still further object is to provide a signal device of this character including bracket which not only holds the signal on the vehicle, but provides a bearing for the rotatable casing and also serves as a guide and casing for the operating shaft.

Nith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more particularly described, fully claimed and illustrated in the accompanyin drawings in which l igure 1 is a vertical elevation of a vehicle signal constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention and applied to an automobile.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the signal casing and a portion 01" the supporting bracket.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the casing containing the operating means, showing the position of said means.

Fig. 4: is a top plan View or? the signal casing.

Fig. 5 is a detailed and sectional view of the flexible shaft.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates a supporting racket having its end 6 extended in right angular relation to the intermediate portion '2', the end 8 extended in right angular relation to the intermediate portion 7 in the opposite direction to that of the end 6. lhe extremity ot'the end portion 8 is extended outwardly to provide a bearing 9. A double clamp 10 is carried by the end portion 6, one portion of the clamp being intended to engage the automobile, such as the post of the windshield. This clamp permits the bracket to be clamped in various angles if so desired.

A signal casing 11 is provided, and is preferably constructed in the form of a wedge, the sides of the casing having blue translu ent plates 12, a white hand 13 being formed or painted centrally of each plate 12. The broad end of the wedge-shaped casing has a red translucent plate 13, while the top 1% and bottom 15 are of opaquematerial. in view of the novel wedge-shaped casing, the same can be positioned with the point of the wedge toward the direction of travel so as to cut the wind and relieve resistance. The bottom 15 of the casing, includes a trunnion 16 centrally thereof, whi h is intended to be disposed in the bearing 9 of the bracket 5,antifriction means being disposed between the trunnion and the bearin to permit the casing to readily rotate. 1 socket 17 is disposed in the casing, above the trunnion 16, and is intended to receive illuminating means such as an electric lamp. Wires 18, are connected to the socket, and extend through the trunnion and the bracket 5 to a source of energy such as the storage battery carried by the automobile.

in order to rotate the casing to indicate the direction of travel, a flexible shaft'19 is provided. This shalt is composed of a plurality of links 20 pivotally connected to each other and disposed within a flexible tube 21. This shaft, extends through the bracket 5 and has one end connected to the trunnion 16, while the other end extends into a casing 22 which is secured to the steering column. A gear 23 is mounted on the end of the shaft within the casing while a larger gear 2-l is mounted in the casin and adapted to mesh with the gear 23. 11 operating handle 25 is connected to the shaft of the gear 24.- so as to rotate the gear 24: and cause rotation of the gear 23 at the speed desired.

When the direction of travel of the automobile is about to be changed, the operator rotates the handle 25 so as to cause rotation of the shaft 19 in the bracket 5. This causes the casing 11 to rotate on the bracket so as to bring the desired portion of the casing into view. It will be noted that both hands carried by the plates 12' point toward the point of the wedge so that a right'or left direction can .be readily indicated by rotating the desired side into position. When the automobile is traveling straight ahead, the point of the casing is extended forwardly so that the red translucent plate can be readily observed by following vehicles. In view of the novel formation of the casing and coloring of the same, the signal can be readily observed both day and night.-

The wires 18 of the lamp may be either connected to the circuit of the lighting system of the automobile or to a separate switch 26 disposed on the dashboard.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that this invention providesa novel vehicle signal which is compact in form, and does not require the alteration of the automobile in order to'attach the same but can be readily attached and positioned as desired. An important feature of this device is that the bracket performs several functions namely that of holding the signal on the automobile, oroviding a casing and guide for the sha 't and wires of the signal, and also serving as a bearing on which the casing rotates. It'will be noted that there are'no projections above the bearingso that the casing is free to rotate. Furthermore, the intermediate portion of the bracket is extended a sufiicient distance from the auwardly of the ance caused by wind pressure;

tomobile to permit the casing to freely rotate without coming in contact with any portion of the automobile. In addition to this when the automobile is traveling through the country where it is not neces- 'sary to use the signal, the clamp 10 can be loosened to permit the bracket to be swung inwardly of the automobile together with the casing so as to position the signal in automobile and relieve resist- I do not wish to limit myself to the particular construction of flexible shaft and operating means illustrated in the drawings or to the specific construction of the casing, except as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is I An automobile attachment comprising a tubular bracket having its end portions 6X- tended in angular relation to the body and s in the opposite direction to each other, one of said end portions having an enlargement, one end of said enlargement providing a shoulder, a casing having a frusto-conical trunnion on its lower surface, anti-friction means engaged with the shoulder andthe trunnion for rotatably supporting the trunnion within the enlargement, a flexibleshaft connected to the trunnion and extending through the bracket, and a clamp adjustably engaged with the one end portion of the bracket and securedto the automobile, said last" mentioned end portion being movable within the clamp. V v

In testimony whereof I hereunto afix my signature.

FREDRIGK L. ELDER. 

